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With six wins out of six, no goals conceded and a World Cup spot assured before the final rounds, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel can argue he has got all of his big qualifying decisions correct.

Nevertheless, in the preparation for Thursday's Wembley encounter against Serbia, he raised questions when he claimed that three of the nation's top talents - Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane - struggle to perform in the same team.

"Currently, if we stick with the system, they are unable to feature.

"They might but not within this system, not maintaining equilibrium that we created and not within the framework that incorporates wingers who are essentially experts in their positions. We play at the moment with specific numbered positions."

From certain starters to fighting for spots

Foden and Bellingham have been utilized out wide for England in the past, but Tuchel's selections imply that the Barcelona loanee and Bukayo Saka are his first choices on the wide areas respectively.

So can Bellingham, Foden and Kane operate simultaneously?

The previous England manager evidently thought it possible.

Bellingham, Foden and Kane were selected for each England's seven games at the European Championship in Germany, where the national squad fell to the Spanish in the final.

In the 16 fixtures the trio have played alongside each other, England have secured 10 victories, shared points three times and suffered three losses, netting 36 goals and allowing 14 goals.

Strategic view: Versatile Foden offers solutions

Tuchel has employed a four-two-three-one setup that changes shape when England attack.

Morgan Rogers has been the key creative force because of his strong ball-carrying, strike quality and ability to attack the box when the forward retreats.

Tuchel has discussed favoring specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon regularly feature on the wings and can maintain possession effectively, take their full-back on, and arrive in the box to score.

In midfield behind the attackers, Tuchel employs a double pivot consisting of one defensively strict player and a partner with attacking liberty to join the forward movement.

What solutions exist for the trio?

Foden and Bellingham would be competing with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the attacking midfield position, with Kane likely to start up front.

Foden could operate as the main forward, which potentially could allow both Bellingham and Foden to feature instead of Kane.

There is an alternative approach all three could feature together and Tuchel alluded to it this week.

"With his club, he plays almost like a central or attacking midfielder, so perhaps in coming months we consider him as a central midfielder," he said.

Foden has been deployed in a versatile central position this season.

That has permitted him to contribute from midfield and could make him an option as the advanced playmaker, alongside a holding midfielder.

This would then enable Bellingham to operate as the attacking midfielder and Kane as the nine.

Irrespective of whether Tuchel opts to structure the side like this at the World Cup, what appears positive is his readiness to exclude star names in the name of balance.